Lighting my new aquarium

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
D

D33N

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 5, 2011
49
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Nottingham, England
When speccing the build for my new aquarium I decided to go for the high open top pelmet type hoods you see on a lot of marine tanks and hang some nice looking pendant light/s


Only problems are:

it's a 7 foot tank
it's a 26" deep tank and the top will add a few more inches on top of that and with a glass cover to go though as well




Will a 6 foot light with enough power light a 7 foot tank?
Will I need a metal halide based light for the 30" of penitration I'm gonna need or will say the twin t5 option shown bellow be enough?


Options I've been looking at
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metal-Hal...8?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item483ddebd9a

the 2 light option
http://www.iquaticsonline.co.uk/ind...ategory_id=51&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=53
 
Is it fresh or salt?
What is the purpose of the light. If its just to see the fish, your 6 foot light will be fine.
 
Tropical, no plants, it is just to see the fish. The light will be hung between 30" and 35" from the bottom of the tank and a mate said no way will a t5 be able to punch through 30"+ inches and look decent.


Is he talking bs? Or will I need something like a halide? I'm not looking for crazy light but I do want it as light as my factory built aquarium is now (that just has 2x t5 tubes but the tank depth is only 20" closed hood)



Cheers for the help :)
 
A metal halide fixture for a tank w/ no plants or live rock is more than ridiculous. A 26" deep tank is not at all hard to light and a 6 ft fixture will light the tank more than enough for simple viewing. If you are still unsure than I suggest at most, a double bulb 6 ft fixture (4 bulb)
 
I have a tank with 30" height. Lighting consists of a common 4 bulb 6' set up and find it more than enough for veiwing and in the past adequate for plants too.

With 2 movable 3' double lighting fixtures a 7' tank will be very well lit imo.
 
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